Scribe owns up to Pacquiao’s ‘anti-gay remark’

ABS-CBN News

Writer blames biased colleagues for twisting story

MANILA, Philippines – A US-based Filipino scribe owned up to the confusion created by his online article where Manny Pacquiao declared his objection to same-sex marriage.

In Granville Ampong’s article, the fighting congressman-preacher voiced his opposition against homosexual union, but what irked the gay community the most was the Bible verse allegedly quoted by Pacquiao.

The verse, which came from Leviticus 20:13, says: "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."

Ampong clarified that Pacquiao was not quoted saying the verse, nor did the boxer invoke it during their interview.

“As we see, nowhere in my supposition and integration of my interview with Pacquiao did I mention that Pacquiao recited this Leviticus 20:13 nor did I imply that Pacquiao had quoted such,” he said in his Examiner report.

Ampong said he merely used the verse to remind “how God made it clear in the Old Testament time that such practice of same-sex marriage is detestable and strictly forbidden.”

He also blamed biased writers for twisting his column.

Ampong was referring to USA Today’s Tom Weir and LA Weekly’s Dennis Romero, who both reportedly linked Pacquiao to the Leviticus verse.

“I hereby demand both Weir and Romero to apologize to Pacquiao,” he said.

Ampong himself apologized to the reading public and the Filipino boxing superstar.

“I sincerely apologize for the confusion my column has caused,” he said.